Transmission Line Will Be Rebuilt Next to Energized Line

Oct 23, 2014

Materials are arriving for a transmission line rebuild project in Halfway, Oregon where the construction work will be done adjacent to the existing – and energized – transmission line.

“We are rebuilding the new line right next to the old line, so our crews will be extremely careful and aware of that energized line,” said Project Manager Brett Flynn. “It will be important to keep the power on during construction for residents of the Halfway and Richland areas.” Flynn said they expect few planned outages during the approximately 2-month project. In the event of a planned outage, customers are notified at least two days in advance.

Halfway and Richland are served by one 69-kV transmission line that is aging and seeing more instances of broken equipment and increased weather-related damage. The 10-mi line connects the Halfway and Duke substations, just east of Oxbow.

The first 3 mi will be built this fall, and the remaining 7 mi, on public land, will be built late next year or spring of 2016 following the public permitting process.

“Idaho Power strives to provide reliable electric service and the reconstruction of the Halfway-Duke transmission line will do just that,” Flynn added.